1 - Reflection on Previous I Search Experiences - (Assigned: Thursday, April 3; Due: Monday April 7)
1. What are some of the previous research projects you have done?
  • Bio-Board - (6th Grade)
  • Famous People - (6th grade)
  • Bio-Board - (6th Grade)
  • Louisiana Festivals - (7th grade)
  • Beyond Hammurabi -(8th grade)
  • The Labyrinth Poject - (8th grade)
  • The Presidential Caucus - (8th grade)

2. Based on the projects, what does research mean to you?
  • To me, research means to gather information from various places before you begin writing an essay.

3. Describe one of your research successes or failures. Why was this a positive or negative experience?
  • When I was researching Eddie Rickenbacker for my Bio-Board, I was successful in finding the information I needed. This was a positive experience because I got a good grade for my hard work

2 - Reflection on Webbing Process - (Assigned: Monday, April 7; Due: Tuesday, April 8)
1. I think the webbing process helped/did not help me find a topic because:
  • I think the webbing process helped me find a topic because I could list my ideas and choose the best topic.

3 - Why I Chose This Topic and What I Know About My Topic - (Assigned: Monday, April 7; Due: Tuesday, April 8)
1. Topic : Orangutans
2. Why I chose this topic : I chose the orangutan project because I find orangutans to be a very interesting species
3. What I know about my topic : I know quite a few things, such as orangutans having 97% of human DNA, and being the closest living species to human kind.

4 - Pre-Notetaking Activity - (Assigned: Tues. April 8; Due: Wed, April 9)
1. Brainstorm a list of questions related to your topic:
  • How closely related are orangutans to humans? (fat)
  • How different are the levels of thought in a human and orangutan?
  • What species are they a part of?
  • What are they known for?
  • Where are they most commonly found?
  • What is an orangutan's normal diet?
  • What is the orangutan's natural predator?
  • What tools do orangutan's use?
  • How do orangutan's behave in the wild?

5 - Reflections on Pre-Notetaking - (Assigned: Tues. April 8; Due: Wed, April 9)
1. Describe how the pre-notetaking sheet helped you find both focus for your topic and research questions to investigate. Did you find it easy or difficult to create a fat question from your ideas?
  • The pre-notetaking sheet helped me find a "Fat Question", which helped me develop smaller, individual questions. From my ideas, I found if fairly simple to think of a "Fat Question" and then develop smaller questions, which will make it even easier to write the essay.

6 - Search Log - (Assigned: Wednesday, April 9; Due Thursday, April 10)
1. What have I learned today?
  • I have learned some new facts about orangutans, such as them having 97% of our exact DNA.
2. What problems have I had?
  • I had the slight problem of a lagging (taking forever to load) computer.

3. How will I overcome the problem(s)?
  • I will overcome the problem by just being patient and trying to "keep my cool".

4. What will I do next?
  • I will continue to find and answer some skinny questions, which will eventually lead to the answering of my juicy fat question. |: )


7 - Search Log (Assigned: Thursday, April 10; Due Friday, April 11)
1. What have I learned today?
  • Today I learned how to use the different databases and that we need to have atleast 2 citations from online databases and 1 citation from a book
2. What problems have I had?
  • The computer monitor was in my way so I couldn't see what Mrs. Goodall is doing.
  • Clay kept on mashing keys on his keyboard so I couldn't hear Mrs. Goodall either.

3. How will I overcome the problem(s)?
  • Ask Clay not to mash his keyboard.
  • Move to a different area while Mrs. Goodall is presenting.

4. What will I do next?
  • I will continue searching the databses for more information on orangutans and eventually look in a book. This will get me the five citations I need and will also help me figure out big, FAT, question.


8 - Search Log - (Assigned: Friday, April 11; Due Monday, April 14)
1. What have I learned today?
  • Today I learned more about the orangutans and their natural habit, and how evolution is being proved.

2. What problems have I had?
  • Finding my book on orangutans in the library. I didn't know where to look.

3. How will I overcome the problem(s)?
  • I asked George to help me find the location of my book.

4. What will I do next?
  • Continue my graphic organizer and report